Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-01
GEN. JACKSON'S MISSION.
THE REBECCA CNSE ONE REA-
SON FOR HIS RESIGNATION.

Intimations That the Gallant Georgian
Was in Favor of a Much Firmer Policy
Than the Secretary of State - The
ofciaI Correspondence Withheld
From Congress.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 2S.-The presiding
officer presented to ras Senate to-day a
message from the President in response
TO the resolution in reference to the seiz-
ure and sale of the American schooner
Reoecca at Tampico, and TO the resigna-
tion of Minister to Mexico jackson, stat
ing that it is not deemed compatible
with public interestsr to communicate
the correspondence In either case
at present. Mr.. Brown submitted re-
marks on the subject Of the message. He
stated the facts in connection with the
seizure of the Rebecca in 1884. The claim
for indemnity had dragged It's slow coil
through three years OF diplomatic CORES
pondence without redress.
GEN. JACKsoN's FIRM POLICY.
1t was time that the American Minister
should make an earnest and vigorous de-
mand for restitution, and that was the
view taken OF the subject by the late Min
lster Jackson. He lntimated that that
mad been one Of the causes of Gen. Jack
sons resignation. Gen. jackson be-
lieved that American citizens had
been imprisoned and shamefully
robbed of their property in
Mexican port, and that
the robbery had been committed with the
aid and pretended authority OF the local
Mexican court. At the request OF the pre-
siding officer Mr.. Brown yielded the
floor temporarily for the naval apprOpria-
tion bill, which had just been received
from the House, and it was read the first
time.
THE COMMUNICATION.
The communication says that while it is
not thought the public interest would be
promoted by the publication OF the cor
respondence in either case, the circum-
| stances 0fthe seizure of the Rebecca, it
is thought, may be properly stated. The
Secretary then reviews the history of the
| seizure, and says:
This department has taken the ground that
| as the Rebecca was driven by stress of
weather from her intended course, and en-
| tered the port of TampicO in distress, making
| no attempt to conceal her unmanifested mer-
| chandise, and without any intention on the
part of the master or owners to violate the
port regulations or tarif laws
of Mexico, the vessel was not
liable to penal prosecution for smuggling or
| for bringing foods into port without proper
papers, and that these sare and sale of the
vessel under the circumstances above stated
was gross breach of comfy ana hospitality.
| peculiarly unreasonable ana unjust.
MEXICO's POSITION.
| The Mexican government, while DENYING
| that the entrance of the Rebecca into Tamplco
| was enforced by stress of weather, has taken
| the position that the judgment of the courts
ordering the sale of the vessel is final and con-
elusive, especially as the master and owners
| failed TO take an appeal from the judgment
so rendered to another court, as it is con-
| tended might have been done. This
department. has contested and
denied the doctrines that the government
may set up a judgment of one of its own
courts as bar to an International claim when
such Judgment is shown to have been unj ust
or In violation OF the principles OF lnterna-
tiOnal law, and has further maintained that
under the circumstances of the case, and in
view of the fact that prior proceedings have
been so palpably arbitrary and uni ust the
master and owners were not bound to at
tempt further judicial remedies In local tri-
bunais.
STILL OPEN.
The correspondence IN the case Of the Re-
becca is still open and proceeding. and it is
not believed that its publication at present
would be compatible with the public interest.
In respect to the jackson matter the
Secretary reports that in his opinion
1t would not ne contributory to. or COM
patible with, public interest to publish that
correspondence at the present time. As to
any correspondence which Gen. Jackson may
have had with the President, either directly
or through any other channel than the Secre-
retary OF state, am not called upon to make
any statements.
The President IN his letter transmitting
the document simply says:
IL is not thought compatible with public in
terests to publish the correspondence in either
case at the present time.